My eyes open. My first thought is, Maddie and Flaun will be worried, I’ve been gone so long. Then the thought, How could I possibly know it’s been a long time? I have no idea what time it is. I look up and see a nurse. He is typing fast and diligently looking at a […]

There is a story has become something of a tradition in our family, about the real meaning of Thanksgiving and the sharing of blessings. Or at least what it means to me. Last year I shared a shorter version of it in this post. This year it’s on my mind again, particularly as I watch […]

This week has been full of lessons, and depending on when I posted I could have shared lessons about death, presumption, righteousness, fear, shame, pride, and a few other uplifting-not topics. I know I’ve been quiet this week – partly out of respect for Hurricane Sandy and the struggles of so many on the East […]

Today, in the culmination of a series of posts on psychological resilience, I promised a few immediate things that you can do when faced with the inevitable low points in your life. It seems fitting that it will be on Thanksgiving Day that this is published, because it turns out that the “secret spice” that […]

There is nothing to put things in perspective like spending a weekend of paying attention to all the things for which I am grateful. I wonder why I have to be continually reminded of this? After all, if there is anything I pride myself on it’s that I think I’m reasonably bright – I’ve even […]

The main message is that being grateful for what you have, and clear about what you want, makes your life better regardless of what you have and whether or not you get what you want. That, and that if you take a moment to make the world better for someone else, by sharing what you have your life will be enriched. That is what I’ve learned in 58 short years on the planet.

This morning I got to enjoy a beautiful morning, a wonderful half marathon along Lakeshore Drive in Chicago, and having my two younger boys, my brother, and my sister-in-law there to see me off and finish. I got to do that because I have the good fortune, the good health, and the freedom to do those things. Brené Brown has said it all, and it’s a privilege to repost her work here.

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Every year I tell myself I’m going to write a new post about losing a child. I never do. Today I realized that in this post, I left it all on the table. So I’m just going to republish it with a few minor changes. Because whether or not it needs saying, I want to […]

It was official May 31. I got fired. Again. At least, that’s how it felt. Getting fired sucks, even when it’s not personal. Maybe especially then. I’d actually known since the 9th. That’s when the conversational rubicon was first crossed, that moment when it’s spoken aloud that the company perhaps can’t keep your role intact. […]

The “debate” (read: ranting) about healthcare policy on my media feeds is – there is no other way to put this – mostly bullshit. At best, it’s magical thinking. At worst, it’s a cold-hearted, callous disregard for those who can least afford the “luxury” of participating in the most technologically advanced heath care delivery system in […]